Comments on: Garth Turner suspended from Conservative Caucus

By: Mark Byron

Mark Byron — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:16:29 +0000

This reminds me a bit of Carolyn Parrish, except that Turner’s wrath was pointed at Tory power politics and Parrish was pointed at Dubya. Both were too loose of a cannon for the powers that be.

This reminds me of the old Washington joke that a faux pas is inconviently telling the truth. Turner did that one time too often in the eyes of the Tory powers that be.

By: Bene Diction

Bene Diction — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:27:07 +0000

I want to know how many Canadian MP’s have been booted out of caucus in a sitting government.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/HofCChange.asp?lang=E&query=34

By: Bene Diction

Bene Diction — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 19:17:08 +0000

We must all hang together,
or assuredly, we shall all hang separately. - Benjamin Franklin

It’s a balance - being a party member and speaking your mind. And this has to hurt.

We are being told this was an unanimous decision.

Turner can sit as an independent, comply quietly with his time-out or go Green. He may have other options I haven’t thought through yet.

Unanimous?

By: Sherm

Sherm — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:50:37 +0000

Ha ha BD. Good one - “I am voter hear me roar?”

What part of MINORITY government do the Conservatives not understand? This was a very popular MP, not just in his riding, but through his blog.

By: Bene Diction

Bene Diction — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:45:08 +0000

This is from the wiki Greg:

“Jaffer is known for a much-publicized 2001 incident in which he claimed to have done a radio interview. The interview was actually done by an aide, Matthew Johnston, who impersonated Jaffer, as Jaffer was opening his new Timothy’s World Coffee shop down the street at the same time as the interview. Jaffer subsequently apologized publicly and in the House of Commons for this falsehood, and was suspended from his caucus position for several months.”

Payback time?
We operate on a party system, but this is the wrong kind of control.
I’m genuinely angry about this right now, and don’t know what to think.
All I can do is sputter, and that’s not productive.

By: Bene Diction

Bene Diction — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:39:09 +0000

I’m angry.
The chill in the air over an MP’s opinion upsetting the whole is expected I guess.

I am voter, hear me roar!

By: John Whitehead

John Whitehead — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:33:10 +0000

Something is amiss here. Mr. Turner is a rich populist who allowed all voices and opinion in the comment section of his blog. The average voter will not understand that the PC party made this decision, the fallout will land squarely in Mr. Harpers lap. And it was to the average voter that Mr. Turner spoke.

John

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:17:40 +0000

You go Garth!!! As an independent you will be able to voice your opinion and vote your conscience. You have been released from the restrictions placed on you by your party. Sorry this happened to you.

By: cricket

cricket — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:11:39 +0000

Well well well. What the Conservatives fail to recognize is the power that Garth Turner holds with not just the people in his riding but with voters of all sizes and shapes.

His blog was awesome and his opinions interesting. Harper just lost Ontario in my opinion. He has censored the wrong MP this time.

By: Sherm

Sherm — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 18:08:00 +0000

How can Stephen Harper not be surprised? He controls everything his cabinet says and does, so he can’t control Garth Turner? The Ontario PC’s have made Garth Turner the enemy. What they fail to recognize is that most Ontarians love him. He is a breath of fresh air and his blog was informative and open. Now it’s offline and he has been censored. Stephen Harper scares me. The Conservatives scare me.